


I've been thinking 'bout it all day

by LSFOREVER



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: (my fav tag honestly), Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Diagon Alley, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, Kissing, M/M, OH and exploding potions, Perrie Edwards & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, Pining, Potions, Potions Masters, but they're all adults living in diagon alley now, mentions of hogwarts, thaT'S A TAG omg, the smut is v light sorry :/, this is my first ever HP au fic so pls be kind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 04:23:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10891626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LSFOREVER/pseuds/LSFOREVER
Summary: When he heard about the job opening, from his nosy Aunt of course, Harry was ecstatic to go down there and talk to the shop owner. Her name is Perrie, and she and her best friend Louis opened the shop together not too long ago. Harry remembers the pair well from when he was in school.or, Harry gets a job in Perrie and Louis' potion shop. He wasn't planning on the huge crush he develops on his boss.





	I've been thinking 'bout it all day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FullOnLarrie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullOnLarrie/gifts).



> hiiiiiii lauren! i hope this is to your liking... if i'm being honest here i almost dropped out because i've just had a lot going on lately, but i pushed through! for this being my very first HP au fic i'm kinda proud of it, and i hope you like it! (this was my favorite prompt by the way!!)
> 
> special thanks to my wonderful best friend/beta/britpicker/hand-holder [e](http://spideysenseau.tumblr.com)! honestly idk what i'd do without him<3  
> also thank you to [b](http://larryismyotpuniverse.tumblr.com) for reading through this and also, ykno, everything else<3
> 
> anyway! to everybody else, i hope you all enjoy! any and all mistakes are mine, and if you notice any inaccuracies don't be afraid to leave a comment or come contact me once i'm revealed! enjoy!
> 
> Xx

 

Harry is nervous, that’s for sure. It’s his first day at his new job mixing and making potions at a new shop that just opened in Diagon Alley. It’s right off the main street so it’s only a few blocks from where Harry lives, and it pays well enough that Harry can keep his flat and have a decent amount of money to live off of comfortably.

When he heard about the job opening, from his nosy Aunt of course, Harry was ecstatic to go down there and talk to the shop owner. Her name is Perrie, and she and her best friend Louis opened the shop together not too long ago. Harry remembers the pair well from when he was in school. They were two years above him, and he always admired how close they were (as well as how good they looked together).

He wants to impress them, and so what Harry’s going to wear on his first day is sort of important to him. His sister would laugh at him if she knew he was stuck on what to wear on his first day of his new job. Niall did for sure. But, he thinks to himself, he’s always dressed to impress, whether that meant he was impressing Hogwarts or his grandmum.

Harry is ready thirty minutes before he even needs to leave, so he decides to make breakfast for his best friend, Niall, who stayed the night, for whenever he wakes up. It’s quick and easy, but Harry makes sure it’s arranged perfectly on the plate before covering it.

His mum sometimes tells him that he’s a little too nice to his best friend, but Harry’s always loved taking care of the people closest to him. It’s one of his quirks.

As he’s pulling on his boots, he notices a little note stuck to the bottom of one. Pulling it off, Harry unfolds it and reads ‘ _ have a great first day at work loser <3 _ ’ in Niall’s chicken scratch handwriting. It puts a smile on his face as he ventures outside into the chilly April air, ready to take the day on.

The walk there is a short ten minutes, but Harry still brought his thermos full of hot tea to keep his hands warm. When he gets there, the front door is still locked so he knocks on the glass, peering inside to see Perrie standing not too far.

She glances up and smiles, coming to let Harry in. “Oh, out of the cold, you,” she greets, smiling warmly and locking the door behind him. “How are you this morning, love? Ready to start your first day?”

Nodding, Harry takes another glance around the small shop, at the dark shelves lining the walls and the rows of free-standing shelves, all full of potion bottles, small and large and everything in between. He looks at the counter at the back with an old little til, a bowl full of candies, and the lazy cat that belongs to Perrie lounging near the edge. The air is musky, but with a hint of sage and something sweet, and the bright lights lining the walls make everything seem less dark.

When he’d first walked in, Harry was charmed out of his pants at how cute the shop was. He loved the atmosphere and warm and inviting it was. And still is. Harry loves this place already, is excited to learn everything he can about this place.

And the people.

“I am, yes,” he answers belatedly, looking at what Perrie had been doing previously. There are a few potion bottles that she’s organizing, but she waves a hand at him.

“Oh no, you’re not starting here today sweetheart. Louis will be back any second with breakfast and he’ll give you the grand tour. Then you’ll learn how to run the til and keep Lucas inside and fed.”

Harry looks at the fluffy orange cat, now knowing his name and smiling. “Alright, s-sounds good to me,” he stutters, more than happy to be working with the kitty already. Even if he’s working the till and looking after a cat, it’s a start and that’s what matters.

“Good. I know it’s not much, but we’d rather start you off slow than throw you out there.”

“I understand.”

A second later the sound of a door from the back is opened and shut, and Perrie smiles wide as she yells, “Lou? D’ya get them?”

“What do you think?” is yelled back.

Harry only briefly met Louis during his interview. It had been while the shop was open, so Louis was helping some people while Perrie asked all the questions. They’d greeted each other, but that was it before someone else came in and needed help.

That voice is one he’s only heard while passing in the hallways or the one time they met, and it’s just as beautiful as he remembers.

Louis walks out from the back, setting a bag on the counter. He looks just as stunning as he remembers, too, with his fringe falling over his eyes, lips quirked up in a smug smile as he stares back at Harry. “Harry, welcome back. Hope you like danishes. They’re Pez’s favorite.”

Perrie, who is already over there and digging in the bag, nods without looking up.

Harry slowly walks over, smiling and feeling himself blush as he looks at Louis again. “I enjoy them, yeah.”

“Good. Dig in so I can show you around a bit before we open.” Louis takes one for himself, then he walks into the back, and Harry can’t help looking over him, eyes catching on his bum.

He quickly glances away, cheeks flaming, and picks out one for himself. 

  
  


“So Harry,” Louis says, walking to the back. Harry finds himself quickly catching up, following close behind Louis so he can still hear him. “I guess I’m just giving you the tour. This here is the back room.”

The room isn’t small, but it isn’t big either. On one side is a large table with cauldrons and what looks to be ingredients as well. Next to it is a wall of shelves lined with ingredient jars and bottles, all labeled, and there’s a floating book off to the side that Harry recognizes as a potion book. It looks dusty though, like it’s rarely used. Then on the other side is a little sitting area with soft-looking chairs and a small table with their leftover pastries from breakfast.

“It’s small, but it gets the job done. We’ve got a small break area here, and through that door,” Louis points, “is a toilet. And through the other door are stairs to the loft above.”

“It’s cute,” Harry says.

“It’s exactly what we imagined for our first shop,” admits Louis, looking proud. “Perrie and I love it. It’s a bit hard sharing the loft, since it’s small, but we’re both saving up again to find someplace bigger.”

“I know there are a couple other open flats in my building. Some with two bedrooms too. Not too expensive.” He only says it as a suggestion, but the look Louis gives him is one of surprise, almost.

“We’ll look into it,” he says quietly, turning to wall of shelves and talking about how they organise everything. Harry feels his stomach drop a little, thinking it might have been dumb to offer his boss a place to live.

How unprofessional.

Harry takes a deep breath, shaking the nerves off as he steps next to Louis, tuning in to what he’s saying.

He only replays the conversation in his head three times later that night, while laying in bed, before he forces himself to try and sleep.

  
  


**5 Months Later**

 

“Harry! We’ve just got an order for three vials of muffling draught!” Perrie calls back to him.

Thankfully, he just finished his last order, handing it over to Louis to take out to the customer. A five minute break would have been nice, but, Harry supposes, a job is a job and he  _ loves _ making muffling draught.

“Got it!” he calls back to the front, grabbing three vials from the shelf and turning back to the messy table of cauldrons where he works. He takes a second to organize it again, remembering how he could go hours without having to do this back when he started, and now he has to squeeze in a couple seconds.

Somehow over the course of just five months, their little shop has become the center of attention, for potions shops, anyway, and there isn’t a dull day here. From the moment Perrie unlocks the front door at eight, all through the morning and afternoon when they close at two, they always have at least one customer in the store.

It hadn’t taken long for them to save up and find a flat in the same building as Harry.

Just last week Perrie and Louis decided to buy out the empty space next to their shop and expand, and they’ve already interviewed a man named Zayn, a dark haired boy that Harry remembers being in the same year as the pair. He will start working in about a week.

And though they’ve all been busy accommodating for the roar in business, Harry has managed to become close friends with Perrie and Louis. It helps that they both have their own places, Perrie just down the hall from him and Louis one floor up. They walk to and from work together every day (sometimes apparating if it’s too cold outside), and most evenings Harry will cook dinner for the three of them while they sit around the table and chat about the shop.

Harry is looking forward to dinner tonight. He has a new recipe for a chicken meal he’s been wanting to try out, and he’s been meaning to ask them how progress on expanding the shop is coming along.

Although he’s only an employee, Harry can’t help but feel like Perrie and Louis hold him as an equal. They stayed well into the evening one night a couple weeks ago, asking Harry his opinion on the expansion and if they’re ready for it and if they can truly fit it into their budget. Knowing they like to include him in these decisions, even though they’ve only known him for five months, makes Harry almost giddy.

He can safely say Perrie and him have become close friends, and moreso with Louis. They’re a bit of a trio now. Customers will ask if they notice if one of them is out for the day, and Harry’s Aunt is always asking about his new friends.

After Harry finishes pouring the three vials of potion, he takes them up to the front himself. “Here you go,” he murmurs, setting it on the counter next to the till, where Perrie is ringing in a customer. Harry waits patiently for the customer to file out, noting that the shop is empty, for once. “Where’s Lou?” he asks nonchalantly.

Perrie gives him a knowing look, and he feels his cheeks heat up. Even through their growing friendship, Harry hasn’t been able to shake off his attraction towards Louis. It’s almost worse now, Harry would go so far to say he has a crush on Louis. And Perrie has caught on quickly, much to his distaste.

“Grabbing some lunch for us,” she says, and Harry feels his stomach growl. Perrie chuckles, pinching his side before disappearing in the back. “You okay with switching for the rest of your shift?” she calls up.

“Sure!” Harry wouldn’t mind. Technically he’s only supposed to stay until one, but he always ends up staying to help close up. Plus, he’s been stuck in the back making potions all morning. He deserves a break.

He only gets one more customer, who finds what they’re looking for on the shelf and is in and out in two minutes, before Louis comes back with some delicious smelling food. “Mm, smells good Lou,” Harry comments, taking the bag from Louis’ hand and pulling out the contents across the counter.

Louis flicks his wrist in the direction of the front door, the sign flipping to close and the door locking. Harry is always mesmerized at how easily Louis can do magic without his wand, even if it is simple things like locking the door. He’s mesmerized by a lot of things Louis does, but before he has time to dwell on that thought Perrie skips up front, hip bumping him over so she can dig through the containers.

Lunch is a quiet affair, the three gossiping about a couple of regulars.

By the time they reopen after lunch, there are already a couple people waiting to come in, so Harry puts on his best smile so he can greet them properly.

The rest of the day goes by smoothly, Harry running the till, Perrie brewing more of anything they might need in the back, and Louis out helping customers and keeping the shelves tidy.

But Harry doesn’t get a chance to invite them over for dinner, while they’re walking home, because Perrie says, “Mum invited me over for dinner so I’m gonna skip tonight, sorry Haz.”

“It’s alright Pez,” he reassures her, “There’ll be leftovers tomorrow for you. And tell your mum I said hi.”

“Of course I will. She’ll send me back with plenty of leftovers anyway so I’d say we’re set for lunch for the next few days.”

 

Later that evening, Harry is finishing up dinner when his front door opens and Louis comes in with a shout. “Harry!”

It’s a bit odd to see just Louis walking in, Perrie not trailing behind like usual, but Harry ignores that feeling, instead greeting Louis back. “In the kitchen Lou! Come look!”

Since it’s just the two of them tonight, Harry didn’t set the table. Dinner smells amazing, Louis says as much after he walks in, heading straight for the stove to peek at what it is.

“There’s plenty for the both of us, so go crazy,” Harry says.

After they settle on the sofa, sitting at opposite ends but facing each other with their plates in their laps, Harry points at Louis’ mismatched socks. “You look like a fourteen year old like that,” he giggles out, leaning away when Louis kicks out at him.

They don’t need to make small talk, conversation coming easily to them as they eat dinner together. Harry always feels so light talking to Louis, laughing and smiling and feeling like he could float away. He’s surprised Louis hasn’t caught on to Harry’s crush, or if he has he doesn’t mention it.

They spend well over an hour after dinner talking, empty plates left forgotten on the table as they inch closer and closer on the couch.

Louis is just so amazing, Harry thinks, as he folds his leg underneath the other one, their thighs brushing. He’s telling Harry a story about when his family had gone to visit London, and Harry can’t take his eyes off those soft lips.

He’s crushing  _ hard _ , and he can’t help it. In their five months of knowing each other, Harry has only managed to like Louis even more. It’s probably very unprofessional, seeing as Louis is technically his boss, but Perrie is also his boss and she doesn’t seem to mind one bit.

They end the night after finishing a bottle of wine together, Louis saying a cheery goodnight and giving Harry’s elbow a squeeze.

Harry goes to bed that night with a smile on his lips, hand on his cock as he remembers the way Louis’ thighs looked in his pants.

-

It’s only about a week later that they have a slow day at the shop, Perrie taking off to spend the day with her mum in Muggle London. Harry is left to run the till and see after the front while Louis takes up residence in the back. He’d banned Harry from walking back there, saying he was experimenting and that he didn’t need any distractions.

Harry’s glad it’s been a slower day. Nobody has needed anything specially made, so he’s able to keep up front and out of Louis’ hair.

Which is exactly  _ not _ what he’d like to be doing right now. What is Louis making? He usually never cares if he’s alone or not while experimenting. Harry is curious, but he’s also respectful, choosing to stay up front and hum along to whatever song is playing through their muggle radio.

Perrie pops in to drop off some lunch (“We can’t live off of left overs forever Harry, besides, mum made this with extra peppers just like Louis likes, so you better force him to eat it.”) which is how Harry ends up standing in the doorway, watching as Louis carefully mixes something together, safety glasses over his face. He’s humming, and Harry takes a second to appreciate his backside from the way he’s leaning over the table like this.

Soft as he can, Harry raps his knuckles on the wall to get Louis’ attention, not wanting to startle him. “Hey Lou,” he says after Louis straightens back up and turns to face him. Harry motions at the bag in his hand, taking another step in when he no longer feels like Louis will yell at him to leave. “Perrie dropped by. Her mum made us some lunch. Fancy a break?”

“She is a queen,” Louis groans. His voice sounds a little raspy, most likely from not using it for hours while working, and Harry bites back a smile. “I’ll be out in a mo’, yeah.”

Humming, Harry takes one last glance at Louis, loving the way his hair has frizzed and fluffed up from standing over the boiling cauldron. As he walks back up front, Harry imagines running his fingers through Louis’ hair, feeling the soft strands. Maybe Louis would enjoy it, lean into the touch with a content smile on his face.

He has a huge crush, he knows. He thinks about Louis all the time, about how wonderful his laugh is, how soft his lips look. It might be a bit creepy, eating his lunch and staring out the window with Louis’ lips on his mind, but he can’t help it.

He’s always thought Louis was beautiful, ever since he first noticed him in first year.

He’s startled out of his deep thinking when Louis plops down next to him at the counter, hands slapping on the wood loudly. “Save some for me Harry!” he teases, digging in with a smile on his face.

Harry can’t take his eyes off of Louis for a few long seconds, openly staring with his lip caught between his teeth.

“Not polite to stare, Harry.” Louis chuckles when Harry jumps, eyes going wide and focusing on his food in his lap. He doesn’t dare look up, too embarrassed to do more than pick at his food.

Lunch carries on like that, quiet, neither of them saying anything while they eat. It’s nice, Harry will admit, sitting next to Louis and eating in (mostly) comfortable silence, and he misses it when Louis pushes himself up without word and goes back to work in the other room.

Now it’s quiet and empty, and Harry hurries to finish his food so he can open back up for the last couple hours of the day.

Nobody is waiting outside, so Harry picks up his book and sits behind the till, ready for a quiet afternoon.

 

Like predicted, they only have one person come in, and Harry is forced to close shop half an hour early. The street outside looks cold and dead, and he sighs as he locks up and pulls the curtains. He decides to tidy up the shelves while a charmed broom and dustpan sweep the floor before peeking his head in the back.

Louis looks just as focused as before, except he also looks a bit frustrated too. “Hey Lou,” Harry nearly whispers, seeing Louis’ tense shoulders settle a little, and he smiles at that. “Closed up early. ‘S dead.”

Louis turns, a huge sigh leaving his lips. “Thank god. Come over here and help me please. I’ve been stuck on this one step for almost an hour and it’s pissing me off.”

Harry gladly skipped over, pulling on his own safety goggles and standing right next to Louis. Their shoulders were brushing as Louis explained what he was making, and which step he was on, and Harry pinched his thigh to keep his attention on the task at hand.

“You’ve got to be real careful with this step. Can’t stir it too fast or too slow, and you have to count carefully too,” Louis murmurs, picking up his wand and slowly dipping it into the cauldron. “It’s supposed to turn a pastel sort of pink color, but every time it just goes gray.” He waits a couple seconds before stirring clockwise, quietly counting to five, before pausing and then stirring counterclockwise the same number of times.

Harry sucks in a breath, waiting, before the soft green liquid in the cauldron bubbles and turns to dark gray.

“Fuck!” Louis mutters, tossing his wand across the table in frustration. He slumps back on a stool, rubbing his eyes, and Harry has the sudden urge to hug him. He settles for dropping his hand to Louis’ shoulder, smoothing over it. “That’s the third batch Harry! How did I fuck it up this bad,” moans Louis, not looking up. Harry feels him leaning into his hand though, and he squeezed harder.

“You have to have patience with these trickier potions Lou,” he says softly, smiling when Louis peeks through his fingers. “Even the best of us can fuck it up sometimes.”

“But I fucked it up three times. It’s not even that advanced of a potion.”

Louis sounds distressed, so Harry stands up straight and keeps eye contact with him. “Come on, we’ll try it one more time. And I’ll help so we can ensure you’ve got all the steps right, yeah?” Louis nods, and Harry smiles. “I’ll clean up a bit and get everything ready. You should take a small break and maybe go count the till?”

With a sigh, Louis heaves himself up. Harry’s hand falls off his shoulder, but Louis is smiling warmly up at him. “You’re the best Haz.”

That sends butterflies through Harry’s stomach as he watches Louis walk to the front. God, Louis will make him go mad.

He makes quick work of tidying up the workspace and neatly organizing all the ingredients they need, knowing Louis will appreciate the clean space to work in. He  _ cares _ , okay.

Apparently Louis does appreciate it, because when he comes back, he surveys the area, then looks up at Harry with brighter eyes and a small smile. “You didn’t have to clean it up, but thank you. Now - ” He takes Harry by his forearm and pulls him up to the desk, “ - let’s get started and hurry. I’d like to go home at some point.”

 

They don’t hurry, knowing it could mess up the process again, but it’s useless anyway.

It’s only twenty minutes later and they’re both elbowing each other for space in the small bathroom while they scrub their face, hair, arms, everything clean of the green goo. Harry grimaces as he wipes off the bits that got on his neck.

Instead of turning a gray color and dying out like it had before, the mixture in the pot made a loud hissing noise after they stirred it, and before they knew what was happening it exploded all over them.

“What the  _ fuck _ did we do wrong this time?!” Louis grumbles, handing over the wet flannel so Harry can wipe down his jumper.

“I’m not sure… we read every instruction carefully,” replies Harry. He’s glum, sad he couldn’t help Louis when he needed it. An idea pops into his head, and it’s out of his mouth before he can stop himself. “After we clean, we should head home to wash up, and I’ll put on some tea for you while I make dinner.”

Perrie won’t be coming home tonight, so it’ll be just them again, and Harry feels a little anxious at the thought. It’s thrilling, knowing he’ll be alone with Louis for the evening. He’ll have to send an owl to Niall, who’s home in Ireland visiting family.

“Yes please,” Louis says without hesitation.

And that’s the end of that, because Louis leaves Harry alone in the bathroom. By the time he deems his hair okay enough for him to put a hat on, Louis has already charmed some cleaning utensils, and the workspace is spotless. The odd odor of the goo is gone too.

Louis is out waiting by the front door, picking underneath his fingernails, so Harry hurries to pull on his warm robes, scarf, and hat. They lock up and apparate in their respective flats, Louis promising to come by when he’s washed up.

That leaves a warm feeling in Harry’s stomach as he sets out a few items for dinner. It’s still there while he’s showering, and then as he’s brewing some tea, some tongs tossing a salad behind him in a bowl.

Dinner is done in no time, so Harry conjures a patronus, his normal swallow forming from the tip of his wand. It flutters around to face him, and Harry says softly, “Go tell Lou that dinner’s ready.” It’s a trick he learned his last year at Hogwarts. The cloudy, white bird flies away immediately, so Harry sets the table up, grabbing out a bottle of mulled wine for them to drink while he waits.

It isn’t two minutes later that Louis walks right in, sitting across the table from Harry. His hair is still wet, cheeks still rosy from the shower, and he looks happier than he has all day.

“Mm, lemon chicken. Harry you don’t need keep spoiling me with these delicious dinners.” Contrary to his words, Louis digs right in, and Harry smiles to himself.

“It just sounded good tonight, is all,” he makes up an excuse, but he knew Louis loves grilled lemon chicken and he was hoping it would win Louis’ heart over a little more, since they’re alone.

Louis asks Harry how his sister is doing, then talks about his own sister Lottie and how he has no idea what to get for her birthday that’s coming up. It’s nice, being able to talk leisurely with Louis, knowing there won’t be a dull moment. Conversation has always come easy to them, after Harry had gotten over his initial shyness of working with the two.

At one point, Louis tries to bring up the potion again, but Harry cuts that off effectively. “No, nope.  _ Non _ . We are not discussing this at the dinner table. Actually, you’re not allowed to bring it up at all tonight. Give yourself a break Lou. We’ll have Perrie give us a hand tomorrow. Until then, forgot about it completely. Please?”

With his wide, blue eyes gazing back at Harry, Louis gulps but he nods, taking a long sip from his goblet. “You’re right Haz. I shouldn’t bring it up. I  _ won’t _ . Thank you.”

The nickname makes Harry blush, and he drinks from his own goblet trying to hide it.

While they finish their meals in comfortable silence, they watch as the ingredients for ice cream sundaes (Louis’ favourite) all float out of the cooler and cupboards, two bowls and spoons as well. It all lands in a perfect line on the counter, and Harry smirks in amusement when Louis nearly scarfs down the rest of his food.

“It’ll still be there when you’re done,” he teases, Louis glaring daggers at him as he finishes off his salad.

“You have my favorite dessert sitting on the counter and you expect me to eat slow. Come on H, you know me better than that.”

“I do.”

“Well, hurry and finish yours too so we can have ice cream!”

Harry chuckles, finishing off his own plate quickly. They both make work of clearing up the table, and then Harry stands to the side, watching Louis pile on the toppings. He’s glad he got the bananas and strawberries out for Louis, seeing slices of both filling nearly half of Louis’ bowl. Harry can’t stand to watch as he pours hot fudge over all of it, then adds peanuts to the mix.

“Where did you get your sense of taste from?” Harry asks, amused and slightly disgusted at the same time. Peanuts and fruit and chocolate? No way would he ever put that in his mouth.

Louis just shrugs, licking off some fudge that had dripped down his middle finger. He’s staring right in Harry’s eyes, innocently enough, and Harry suppresses a shiver as he turns away. It’s no use though; the image of Louis sucking his whole finger in his mouth will forever be imprinted in Harry’s mind now.

“I’ve spent half of every summer since fourth year at Perrie’s. Her family lives in Newcastle, the muggle city. I’ve picked up a lot of my tastes from that.”

Harry hums, understanding now. While Perrie’s mum is a witch, her father is a muggle, so she grew up in Leeds, only knowing magic from her mum until she was accepted into Hogwarts at age eleven. Harry remembers the story.

“Either way, that looks gross. Don’t come to me whining when your stomach doesn’t agree with it.” He dodges Louis’ hand, giggling as he steps back to the counter to make his own. It’s simple enough, with hot fudge melting in it.

Louis has taken his spot on the sofa, and Harry plops down next to him. Louis tries to get Harry to try his, but Harry flat out refuses, moving across the sofa to put as much space between them when Louis tries to shove the spoon in his mouth.

“Wanker,” mutters Louis, but he’s smiling, turning and stretching his feet across to wiggles his toes under Harry’s thigh.

Harry bites his lip, smiling down at his bowl and hoping Louis won’t see it. Any form of contact will make him smile.

Louis brings up his sisters again, and Harry helps Louis bounce some ideas around for a birthday present.

“Well. What’s her favourite color?” he asks.

“Lilac,” Louis replies.

“And what’s her favorite animal?”

“She loves butterflies, but she’s rather fond of baby tigers, now that she found out that’s her patronus.”

“You could always get her a tattoo. If your mum would allow it.”

“I doubt it.”

Harry rolls his eyes. “You could at least try. You’ve said before that you and Lottie are planning brother sister tattoos. Why not surprise her with her first one?”

“She’d love that. And I could talk her into getting a baby tiger too.” Louis’ eyes light up, and he scoots over until he’s sitting cross legged, facing Harry.

By now they’ve finished their dessert and have migrated to sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, more wine in their cups. They’ve nearly finished the bottle, and Harry feels not quite tipsy, but warm and fuzzy. The alcohol has definitely affected him, but in the good, light way. He only hopes Louis feels the same.

“You could even surprise her with your own sketch,” suggests Harry, “It’d be personal. I’m sure she’d love it.”

Louis scoffs, rolling his eyes before landing a warm hand on Harry’s thighs. “I can’t draw for shit Harry. I wish.”

“Well then we can find someone. We’ve got to know someone. You had plenty of friends from Hogwarts. Can you remember any of them who had a knack for drawing?”

Harry watches in awe, not trying to hide his ogling, as Louis takes another big gulp of the wine. “Hmm,” he hums, finger tapping on Harry’s leg.

Harry’s insides jump at the feeling, and he tries to subtly shift his outstretched legs, until he too is sitting cross legged. Louis’ hand shifts up his thigh a couple inches because of that, Harry’s breath hitching, but the man doesn’t seem to notice, since he’s still staring hard at the wall across from him.

He will never get tired of Louis touching him, and Harry slowly moves his own hand to settle on top of Louis’, index finger tracing patterns across the soft skin when Louis’ eyes go wide and he nearly shouts, “Zayn! Zayn was always doodling on my parchment paper, and they were always quite good!”

“Really?” Harry asks, but then his surprise goes away when he remembers seeing the tattoos lining Zayn’s arms when he briefly saw him before. “Well, that makes sense, considering all his sick tattoos. You think he’d do it for you?”

“He’d be crazy not to! It’s the cutest idea ever,” Louis chants, laughing when Harry nods in agreement with wide eyes. He quiets down then, biting his lip before saying, “Perrie tried giving me ideas but everything she offered sounded… I don’t know, boring, you know? Maybe I should start coming to you for these things now.”

“You should,” Harry says, “Not to brag or anything, but I’ve always had a knack for perfect gifts.”

“Then I’m keeping you ‘round forever. I’m honestly shit at gifts.”

_ I’m keepin you around forever _ . Harry likes the sound of that. He smiles, looking back up to respond, but all words die in his mouth and his mind goes blank when he sees how close Louis is. Their noses are barely an inch apart, and Harry can feel Louis’ warm break fanning across his lips.

They look soft as usual, Louis’ lips, and Harry subconsciously bites his bottom lip when he looks up, seeing Louis’ piercing eyes already locked with his. A sharp breath of air leaves Harry lips when Louis grumbles, “Kiss me please,” and then they’re kissing and Harry is on cloud nine.

Louis kisses like a storm, swooping in and taking over Harry’s mouth, licking across his lips in no time, a shudder running down Harry’s spine. And Harry tries his best to respond in kind, but Louis is just so enthusiastic that he kind of just sits there and takes it, letting Louis lick into his mouth, flicking his tongue back to hear the sigh Louis lets out.

And he doesn’t stop, his fingers coming up to card through Harry’s curls and tugging a little, and Harry can’t help the whimper that slips through his lips. Louis smiles, giggling, kissing Harry deeper, and Harry huffs. Louis doesn’t get the satisfaction of effecting Harry like that without Harry, oh so graciously, doing the same to him.

He curls his fingers around Louis’ hips, still letting him control the kiss as he manhandles the shorter lad up and over, until his knees are bracketing Harry’s thighs. Louis gasps, and he breaks the kiss to pant, eyes wild with want.

“You’re killing me Haz,” he whispers, swooping back in with kisses across Harry’s jaw, a light flick of his tongue to his earlobe, little nips down his neck and across his collarbones.

It’s a game of tug of war, Louis sucking a small bruise into the base of Harry’s neck, Harry slipping his fingers around to squeeze at Louis’ bum, both of them squirming at the attention and going at each other for more.

Harry doesn’t know whether he keeps kneading at Louis’ bum and scratching lightly up his back for Louis’ pleasure or his own. Louis always responds with grunts, tugging Harry’s curls, or biting at his collarbone. It’s hot and sweaty and arousing, and Harry isn’t even surprised to feel himself chub up against Louis’ thigh.

Louis seems to be just as affected, his hips twitching forward, erection pressing to Harry’s stomach. They both moan, and Louis leans back up to seal their lips again, licking into Harry’s mouth like he’s desperate for it. He’s rocking forward and back, rubbing himself against Harry’s stomach, arse rolling back against Harry in the most delicious way.

Harry is burning up, panting and trying to catch his breath as the pleasure runs up his spine. He pulls away from the kiss reluctantly, mouth dropping at Louis’ needy whine. “Come back babe?” Louis pleads, and Harry pecks him once more to appease him.

But then he straightens up so he can tug his jumper over his head and off. Louis tugs his own shirt off, eyes trained on Harry’s naked chest while he unzips his jeans and pushes them down far enough for his cock, which is peeking out of the top of his briefs, to come to view.

Harry inhales sharply, eyes raking down Louis’ front until they settle on his cock again, red tip shiny and leaking. He doesn’t think before reaching for it, palming over it though the soft material of Louis’ briefs.

Louis sighs, hips bucking into the contact. Harry takes that as a go, slipping his hand in the front to pull out Louis’ leaking prick. He’s hot in Harry’s hand, and Harry bites his lip, feeling himself switch as he starts stroking Louis up and down, thumbing over the head to hear the soft little moan that spills out of Louis’ lips.

“Lou,” he whispers, still pumping him. He focuses on the task at hand, knowing it’ll be over terribly soon just from Louis’ deft fingers pulling him out of his own confines and his thumb rubbing over Harry’s cockhead.

They both quietly pump each other, Harry bucking his hips up, biting his lips at the pleasure. Louis’ hand was  _ made _ for him.

“Baby,  _ god _ ,” Louis moans, batting Harry’s hand away so he can take them both in his own.

Harry doesn’t know if he moans at the nickname or the searing hot pleasure between them. He does know that it all feels amazing, and he dips in to catch Louis’ lips for more kisses, slipping his fingers down the back of Louis’ pants to grab at his fleshy bum.

He’s dreamt of this for ages, it feels like, and now that he finally has Louis in his hands, Harry knows he won’t last long.

Louis rocks back into Harry’s hands, biting his lip as he pushing back against Harry’s fingers, then forward into the tight circle of his hand, against Harry’s cock. Harry kneads at his arse, letting his nails dig into the skin at a particularly amazing thrust. Precome blurts from his tip, Louis speeds up his thrusts, and Harry moans loud into Louis’ mouth.

“Fuck, Lou,” he whispers, eyes closed, head tipping back at the familiar bubble of heat in the pit of his stomach. “Gonna come.”

A growl rips out of Louis’ chest and his hand tightens, his thrusts growing erratic as he bites down on the sensitive part of Harry’s neck.

He’s thrown to the edge immediately, the pain and pleasure mixing perfectly, and he does the first thing that comes to mind - slips a finger between Louis’ cheeks, rubbing over his hole, dipping in just the tip since he knows it’s dry and he doesn’t want to make Louis uncomfortable.

It does the trick, Louis shouting Harry’s name, throwing his head back as he shoots hot between them. Louis’ hot come dripping down Harry’s cock feels better than it should, and it only takes one flick of Louis’ finger across Harry’s nipple for him to follow suit.

“Oh fuck! Louis,” Harry drawls, forehead dropping to the crook of Louis’ neck as he keens through his high.

They come down slowly, both taking in deep breaths. Harry’s throat is dry and his thirst for water overpowers any thoughts, until Louis sighs deeply, leaning back on his arse still in Harry’s lap.

His head is swirling,  _ we had sex _ and  _ I’m gonna ask him out _ and  _ oh my god Louis just came all over me _ on loop and making him a bit dizzy. Did that really just happen?

Harry looks up. Louis is looking at the mess between them, and he groans. “I really don’t wanna shower  _ again _ Harry.” His voice is raspier, wonderful.

“Don’t need to,  _ accio wand _ ,” mumbles Harry, catching his wand from where it floated over from the table. He flicks it quickly, watching as all the come between them and on their clothes disappears.

After, Louis shoots Harry a toothy grin before falling back next to him, tucking himself away. Harry watches from the corner of his eye, longing to see him again, then fights off a shiver of the cool air nipping at his skin. He pulls his jumper back on, but before he can awkwardly go turn up the heat, Louis pulls him back to the couch.

“Harry…”

What is he supposed to say? How should he act? Harry’s never had sex with close friends, choosing to keep his sex life and social life mostly separate, and he really doesn’t want to make it awkward or fuck it up. He’d rather keep Louis as his best friend for the rest of his life then to not have him in his life at all.

The tone in Louis’ voice makes his stomach drop though, and he slowly lifts his eyes to beautiful blues. “Lou?” he whispers, biting his lip.

Louis rubs his hands down his face, letting out a long sigh. Harry’s heart picks up again.

“We didn’t just fuck everything up, did we?” Louis’ voice is hesitant, like he’s just as worried. “I wouldn’t mind if that happened again, honestly, but I don’t want things to be awkward now.”

He wouldn’t mind if that happened again? He can’t believe Louis actually finds him attractive enough to want that again. He feels like he’s in school again, that feeling you get after finally kissing your crush. Courage swells up in his chest, and he says, “It doesn’t have to be awkward. I, um, I really like you Louis. I’d like to keep doing this too.”

Louis eyes are wide, then a smug smile spreads across his face. “You  _ like _ me Harry? We’re not in fourth year.”

Harry rolls his eyes. Leave it to Louis to take the piss in a time like this. “Shut up twat. I meant I’d like to keep fucking you, preferably exclusively, if that’s cool with you.”

“Now you’re speaking my language.” Harry scolds him, flicking his knee. Louis bats his hand away but then takes it in his own. “Harry Styles, I would love to keep fucking you exclusively. On one condition.”

Harry wonders what he’s getting himself into. Is Louis’ banter really all that worth it? But he knows his own jokes are almost unbearable, and he thinks it’s pretty even. “And what is that?” he indulges, loving the way Louis laced their fingers together.

Louis doesn’t wait before saying, “You’re telling Perrie,” and then promptly jumps off the couch when Harry groans.

“ _ Lou _ , you know how she is,” he protests, pulling out his best sad eyes. Perrie is ruthless; she will give Harry so much shit and ask him a hundred questions and he’ll have to endure it all.

Louis bites his lip, stilling standing a few feet away from the sofa, and he looks like he might give in. He doesn’t. “I grew up with her, of course I know how she is. Which is why you’re telling her.”

The best response Harry can come up with is sticking his tongue out like a six year old, Louis chuckling and returning next to him on the couch. Harry presses a soft kiss to Louis’ cheek before taking their goblets to the kitchen. “If your arse wasn’t so tempting I would’ve said no,” he calls behind him while pouring a glass of water.

“Yours isn’t so bad either,” Louis replies, suddenly right behind Harry.

He jumps, turning around quickly, only to be bracketed in by Louis’ hands on the counter on either side of him. Louis’ eyes are dark again, trained down where Harry’s arse was while he was facing away, and Harry shudders as Louis slowly brings his gaze back up. He could definitely go again. After drinking this water.

“Yeah?” he whispers, noting how close they are again, feeling Louis’ body heat envelope him.

“Mhm,” hums Louis.

Harry dips in, desperate to kiss those lips again, but Louis slips the glass of water out of his hand and is across the kitchen in seconds. Confused, Harry shakes his head, clearing the fog in his brain as he processes what just happened.

“Dick,” he mutters, willing the blood rushing south again to slow down. “That’s my water.”

Louis gulps it all down, then shrugs. “Not anymore.”

Harry honestly thinks about charming the duster to follow Louis around tickling him, but he decides against it when Louis sends him a dark look, then walks away, hips swaying more than usual.

Water can wait, he thinks, already unzipping his pants as he follows that delicious bum and those thighs into his bedroom.

-

As predicted, Perrie does freak out the next morning after pointing out the love bites on both boys’ necks. Harry sends a scared look Louis’ way, before admitting that the marks were there because of each other, and Perrie’s eyes go wide and she yells a million questions all at once.

“No, I’m not telling you what we did.”

“Pez! That’s none of your business!”

“No, you may not tell our mothers.”

“We haven’t discussed boyfriends yet.” Louis had answered that one.

Eventually, she calms down, telling them she’s happy for them, and that’s the end of that.

-

It’s barely a month later that Harry pops the question,  _ will you be my boyfriend _ , and Louis tackling him back to the bed for round two, presses  _ yes _ into Harry’s skin for hours.

They’re happy together, even through the rough patches, and Harry wouldn’t have it any other way.

The shop thrives as well, successfully expanding. The business grows, Louis and Perrie’s names known all over Diagon alley, all throughout the English Wizarding community, and Harry couldn’t be more proud of them. They end up hiring two more people, Liam and Jesy, on top of Zayn, so there’s never a dull moment at work.

Eventually, Harry has everybody over for dinner, Niall popping in as well. Dinner at Harry’s with everybody there quickly becomes a tradition twice a month. Niall and Liam get along well, and Harry finds them flirting with each other one night, the two announcing their relationship a few weeks later.

Perrie confides in Harry, telling him how she’s got the hots for Zayn, and a week later Zayn tells Louis the same thing. It’s comical, in Harry’s opinion, and he and Louis invite them both over as often as they can, only to leave the pair alone, in hopes they’ll actually do something about their blooming crushes.

Harry thinks it’s safe to say he has a comfortable life, living with his soulmate and seeing all their best friends get together.

He wouldn’t trade it for best potion-making skills in the world.

 

  
~ _ fin _ ~

**Author's Note:**

> (psst if you got my title then pls yell at me in the comments, ty)
> 
> ily all! <333
> 
> Xx


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